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@article{185334,
        author = {Shradha Bisht and Shreya Ghosh},
        title = {A Comparative Analysis of Subjective Happiness by Gender in Young Adults},
        journal = {International Journal of Innovative Research in Technology},
        year = {2025},
        volume = {12},
        number = {5},
        pages = {945-963},
        issn = {2349-6002},
        url = {https://ijirt.org/article?manuscript=185334},
        abstract = {Happiness is widely recognized as a central component of psychological wellbeing and an important indicator of quality of life. Contemporary research has sought to examine not only the determinants of happiness but also whether significant differences exist across gender groups. The present study investigated gender-based differences in subjective happiness among young adults aged eighteen to thirty-five years. A quantitative cross sectional survey design was employed using the Subjective Happiness Scale (SHS), a four item self-report measure scored on a seven-point Likert scale. Data were collected from more than two hundred participants through Google Forms and analyzed using Statisty, an open access statistical tool. Descriptive statistics were computed, followed by assumption testing and an independent samples t test to evaluate the hypotheses.
The results indicated that males reported slightly higher mean scores of subjective happiness than females, although the difference was not statistically significant. The effect size was negligible, suggesting that gender did not meaningfully account for variation in happiness within this sample. These findings support the growing body of literature indicating that gender differences in happiness are minimal and context dependent. The discussion emphasizes that developmental stage, cultural influences, and individual psychological traits are likely to play stronger roles in shaping happiness than gender identity alone.
The study contributes to the literature by providing empirical evidence from the Indian context and by highlighting the importance of designing inclusive wellbeing initiatives for young adults. While limitations related to sampling, measurement, and design are acknowledged, the findings underscore the need for future research that incorporates longitudinal designs, diverse populations, and multidimensional measures of happiness.},
        keywords = {subjective happiness, gender differences, young adults, Subjective Happiness Scale, positive psychology, well being},
        month = {October},
        }